credit cards 0 interest rate

0 Interest Credit Cards … For Years
Intro
Firstly thanks for taking the time to read this ebook. Who among us wouldn’t dream of
having 0 interest credit cards for years? Well, that’s entirely possible, and this ebook
explains how YOU can achieve it quite easily. So easily, in fact, that after signing up for
our free service you won’t even have to lift a finger until our automated email system
reminds you when it’s time.
The Aim
We would all like to be able to have access to interest free credit all the time. Who
wouldn’t? We’ve all seen the High street banks and other credit suppliers and their
introductory offers of free credit or 0 per cent APR. The trouble is that’s all it is –
introductory. Once you come to the end of the opening introductory interest-free offer
period you have to start paying interest at whatever ludicrous rate that they charge at the
time.
The Problem
So this is our problem: the inevitable will eventually happen and we will come to the end
of our interest free period and have to start paying interest. But that’s not the only
problem.
APR, or Annual Percentage Rate, was originally set up as a concept to maintain a level
playing field. At the time the idea was introduced there were so many ways of calculating
interest rates and the various added charges on a loan that the actual and total cost of
borrowing became confused. Because there were so many different ways of calculating
the total cost it became impossible to find out what the actual cost was just by looking at
the advertised figures.
For example, unscrupulous lenders could advertise a fixed rate of interest and disguise
the hidden “extras” like annual fees and late payment charges, or not mention the fact that
the rate may be subject to increases without notice or with very little notice. Also, it
became clear that what one bank or lender regarded as “the whole story” was different
from the views held by another bank or lender.
So the idea of APR became a way of ironing out those differences and discrepancies. The
idea was fine. It even worked for a while. But then the inconsistencies began to creep in
again. Except this time it was worse, because people had become used to the idea that
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APR was the real cost of borrowing, and that somehow this was a more truthful and
accurate way of presenting the cost of raising money.
So it was good while it lasted. But there are still anomalies that beguile all of us when we
go about the sometimes treacherous task of obtaining credit.
There are now more choices: fixed and variable rates; with payment protection insurance
or without it; early repayment penalties or not; and many more to be considered.
As consumers we all want more choice. But it is the sheer amount of choice that allows
the unscrupulous lenders to further muddy the waters.
But the bottom line is that we don’t want to pay interest at all! But how do we go about
it?
The Solution
The solution would be to find some way of transferring our credit card balances to
another credit card at the exact time that the original interest or 0 APR period came to an
end, thus maximising the efficiency of the 0% balance transfer system to our advantage
as much as possible. A lot of the banks and credit card providers have these balance
transfer offers. What we need to do is to maximise the efficiency of each and every one
of these, and to run them contiguously, so that we can effectively enjoy as long an
interest free facility as there are cards that offer these 0 APR programmes.
But is there a way that we can be sure of achieving this? We want, in an ideal world, a
special kind of service and a special kind of supplier with the above aims in mind.
But first of all, I want to summarize the kinds of things we actually need within such a
service. For this reason, what follows is a press release that was published at the time of
the service’s launch which describes succinctly what the service should do and also what
you should expect of it in real terms. The press release follows below.
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Press Release: The 7 Rules of Credit Card Balance Transfer
Credit card balance transfer is a great way of consolidating your credit card debt, and also
finding a way of avoiding the terrible burden that debt can bring. Transfer offers are in
high demand and many credit card issuers highlight their balance transfer features up
front as part of their overall advertising package. These days the credit card companies
are in heavy competition with each other to get your business.
But have you ever considered the dream ticket of always having an interest free credit
card at all times, no matter what the circumstances? Well here is a check list of seven
things you must do in order to get the best out of it.
1. Always make sure that your credit card balance transfers are carried out on time and
with no overlap periods from one card to the next, which will cost you money in nasty
interest charges. Make allowances for delays in the post when notifying banks and credit
card companies by mail, and also note that different banks will move at different speeds
when responding to requests.
2. Make sure that 0 balance transfer credit card offers are always current and available at
the time you apply. There's no point in making a mental note of an offer and then
applying for it after it has expired.
3. Interest free balance transfer credit cards must be exactly that; be careful and look out
for any hidden charges in the small print. A 0 APR credit card should be exactly what it
says it is.
4. The type of card to transfer balances from is crucial. Store cards tend to have a higher
rate of APR than normal credit cards, so consider transferring all these balances on one or
more low interest card. You can end up saving a substantial amount of money. Proper use
of the credit card balance transfer feature can be useful and convenient, and a vital way of
avoiding credit card debt.
5. Trust your source. A low interest credit card or 0 interest credit card should be easy to
identify, preferably from a source where you are able to make comparisons between
different types of card. Ideally you should deal with a source which is impartial and
which does not promote one credit card or bank over another. Also, your source should
provide easy to read and understand comparative charts to help you make such decisions
swiftly, without undue pressure, and without any fear of being misled.
6. Keep a note of the exact date of when your 0 interest period finishes, and apply for
your new credit card balance transfer at least two weeks before that date.
7. Try and ensure that your interest free credit card balance transfer facility is flexible and
quick. At present it is the norm to put details of your credit balance transfers in writing at
the time of application. Bear in mind that both parties need to know what is going on at
the same time. Make it easy for everyone, including yourself.
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How To Go About It (in Detail)
Right, now we know exactly what we need. How do you go about getting this service
which automatically sends you an email alert before your interest free period ends, in
enough time to transfer your credit card balance, and at the same time provides you with
a link, in the email, in order for you to make that balance transfer then and there.
Step 1. Firstly go to www.credit-card-transfers.com if you are in the United States, or
www.credit-card-transfers.co.uk if you are in the United Kingdom. It’s that simple.
Step 2. The next wise thing you can do is sign up for our free subscription service. This is
not related to any card that you take out, and is not connected with the alert service itself.
All it does is put you on our emailing list so that you can receive special offers and
announcements as they happen. To sign up for this just fill in your email address and then
your name in the two boxes near the foot of the home page on the website.
This mailing list is “double opt-in” as a security measure, to prevent people signing up on
your behalf when you don’t really want to. So you will receive an email immediately
after you register, asking you to confirm that it really was you who requested this.
Of course, you can unsubscribe from this list at any time. There is an unsubscribe link at
the foot of each email.
Figure 1: subscribing to the email list.
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Step 3. Choose your credit card. There are comparison charts showing in some detail the
differences between the cards available. If you have recently taken out a credit card from
another source then that’s fine, too. This service is not restricted to people who only
apply for cards from this site. It’s open to everyone. I can’t stress that enough. As well as
the links to cards and comparison charts on the site there are also links to advertisers
using the Google Adwords system.
There is nothing to stop you from taking out a card at your local bank and then using our
service to alert you when the interest free period is nearing an end.
To choose a card from this site click on one of the many links to that page, either on the
left hand side menu, or one of the links in the main text of the home page.
Figure 2: Comparing cards.
On the UK site there is a small comparison chart near the top of the page, and then links
to individual cards lower down. By clicking on the card links you will go directly to that
card’s website.
Below the links section to individual cards there is another section of adverts by other
card suppliers.
Below that there is another opportunity to sign up for our general subscription service.
Also near the bottom of the page is a series of links that advise you what to do next, and
that is to sign up to the specific alert service which will remind you when your card’s
interest free period is nearing its end.
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Step 4. Signing up for the Credit Card Alert Service. Once you have selected your card
and applied for it on the card supplier’s website you can return here and click through to
the Credit Card Transfers Alert Page, at www.credit-card-transfers.co.uk/email-alert.htm
. As it says at the top of the page, this is the important bit, because this is where you can
easily set up the automated system that will remind you when the interest free period on
your card is soon to expire, so you can transfer your balance to another card for another
interest free period.
The idea behind this is that you sign up for the alert service at the same time as you apply
for the card. Say the particular card you applied for had an interest free period of 6
months, then you would go down to the page to where the 6 Month Alert Section was. If
it was 9 months you would scroll down further to the 9 Month Alert Section. If it was 12
months you would scroll down further to the 12 Month Alert Section.
The example below shows the 6 Month Alert Section. Just fill in your email address and
your name, then click on the Submit button, and you will activate this service.
Figure 3: Signing up for the Alert Service.
By signing up for this free service you can comfortably be assured that you will not miss
any deadlines for transferring your card balance. An email will arrive at the email address
you have given, about ten days before your card’s interest free period ends, allowing you
to transfer your balance to another card.
The same applies, of course, to low interest card offers as well as zero interest offers. The
procedure is exactly the same.
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Step 5. Acknowledging the double opt-in email. When you sign up for the alert service
you will get a security email with the subject RESPONSE REQUIRED: confirm your
request for information. This email has a link in it. You should click this link to signify
that it was you who signed up for the service and not someone else.
Figure 4: Confirmation of service.
Once you have linked on the link in this email you will almost immediately get a
welcome email which introduces you to the service itself. You should also ensure at this
stage that our email address is “white-listed” or on your Friends email list, so that our
emails are not blocked by filtering software that blocks unwanted emails.
Then all you do is wait. The reminder email will arrive about ten days before it’s time to
transfer your balance, allowing you time to do so. As a failsafe, you will also receive a
second reminder email in case the first one didn’t get through.
Thank you very much for using our free service.
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